Dubai: Travel agencies and airlines in the local market have launched tourist packages for the 55th National Day holiday, which falls on December 2, with prices starting from AED2,100 per person, including flight tickets, hotel accommodation, activities and tourist trips.
A survey of early offers published on the websites of airlines, travel agencies and holiday platforms showed that the options range from short trips to destinations relatively close to the UAE, to integrated tourist packages that include flight tickets, hotel accommodation, transfers and sightseeing tours, as well as other longer trips to European and Asian destinations.
Meanwhile, officials from two travel and tourism agencies advised those wishing to take advantage of these packages to book early, as it is the best way to increase the chances of getting suitable prices and a wider range of trips and hotels.
They explained that the offers announced by airlines and travel agencies are usually at starting prices, noting that prices are linked to the availability of seats on flights and hotel rooms within the specified price categories, and may change according to the level of demand and the timing of the booking.
Package prices
Holiday packages coinciding with the UAE National Day start from around AED2,100 to the Armenian capital Yerevan, for a three-night stay, and from around AED2,300 to both the Georgian capital Tbilisi and the Azerbaijani capital Baku, for a three-night stay.
Prices for packages to the Uzbek capital Tashkent start from AED2,600 for a three-night stay, and to both Almaty in Kazakhstan and Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, from AED2,800 for a three-night stay in a three-star hotel in each of them. Prices to the Thai capital Bangkok start from about AED3,000, to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur from AED3,200, and to the Italian city of Milan from AED3,500, for a three-night stay.
Prices to Istanbul, Turkey start from AED4,000 per person for a four-night stay, while prices to Krabi, Thailand start from AED4,200 for a four-night stay.
The offers also include destinations such as the Russian capital, Moscow, and the city of St. Petersburg, starting from AED4,500 per person for four nights each, while prices to Vietnam start from AED5,000 for five nights, and to Kenya from AED7,000 for four nights, where some Kenya programs include safari trips, visits to nature reserves and lakes.
Diversifying options
Amin Al Awadhi, General Manager of Al Awadhi Travel Company, said that “airlines and travel agencies are offering special tourist packages and deals for the National Day holiday, as part of diversifying the options available to travellers who wish to take advantage of the holiday to spend short breaks or travel to tourist destinations outside the country.”
Al-Awadhi added: “These offers usually include options that combine flight tickets and hotel accommodation, while some packages include additional services such as airport transfers, breakfast, sightseeing tours and recreational activities.”
He continued: “Bookings for the National Day holiday have already started in the first week of December,” noting that the abundance of travel offers available for the holiday, along with the demand for them, reflects expectations of increased travel demand during this period, especially since the holiday may allow employees to take advantage of a relatively long vacation, extending for several days when combined with the weekend, as the 55th National Day holiday in the UAE for 2026 falls on the second and third of December (Wednesday and Thursday).
Al-Awadhi stated that these packages provide diverse options to suit the budgets and interests of different segments, whether traveling alone or within families and groups, with varying destinations, lengths of stay, hotel levels and included services. Some programs also allow travellers to choose additions that suit their needs, including upgrading the level of accommodation or extending the duration of the trip, according to the conditions available at each organising entity.
Starting prices
Al-Awadhi pointed out that the offers announced by airlines and travel agencies are usually starting prices, and are linked to the availability of seats on flights and hotel rooms within the specified price categories. He explained that prices may change according to the level of demand, the timing of the booking, and the details of the trip. The final cost may also vary according to the number of travellers, the type of room, and the additional services chosen by the customer.
Al-Awadhi stressed the importance of travellers checking the details of packages before completing the booking, to ensure the services included in the price, travel and return dates, and the conditions for modification, cancellation and refunds. He said: “We advise those wishing to travel during the (Union Day) holiday to plan early, determine the destination, the appropriate budget and compare the available options before making the booking decision, as booking early gives travellers a greater opportunity to benefit from lower price categories and choose from a wider range of flights and hotels, and helps to reduce the likelihood of high costs with the increased demand for travel during the holiday period.”
Early bird offers
For his part, Narouz Sarkis, General Manager of Belhasa Tourism Company, said that “this year’s (Union Day) holiday falls on Wednesday and Thursday, December 2nd and 3rd, 2026, which gives travellers the opportunity to take advantage of a long weekend, especially for those who wish to extend their holidays. For this reason, travel agencies, in cooperation with airlines, have resorted to offering early deals on this occasion.”
He added that “this may encourage a larger segment of people to take vacations, as it allows them to plan short trips, without having to cut a large number of annual leave days,” expecting that demand for the offers will increase in the coming days.
He explained that these tourism offers represent an opportunity for travellers to plan their vacations and benefit from packages that combine flights, accommodation, and tourism services, noting at the same time that the actual benefit from these offers does not depend on the advertised price alone, but requires comparing the available options and verifying the details and conditions of each package before making a booking decision.
Sarkis advised travellers to start by determining the overall budget for the trip, choosing the appropriate destination and length of stay, and then comparing packages in terms of the final cost and included services, saying: “One of the offers may seem cheaper when advertised, but adding baggage fees, transfers, meals, or optional activities may raise the total cost, so it is better to compare offers that are similar in length of stay, hotel category, travel dates, and services provided.” He added: “In this context, booking early is one of the best ways to increase the chances of getting suitable prices and a wider range of flights and hotels, instead of waiting until the holiday is near, when prices rise or some options become unavailable.”
Package terms, cancellation and modification policies
The prices advertised in holiday package offers are subject to the availability of seats and hotel rooms at the time of booking, and may change according to the travel date, hotel category and number of travellers. Also, the advertised prices per person based on double occupancy may differ from the cost of single occupancy, as additional charges may be imposed for a single room, while most offers include accommodation in four-star hotels.
As for cancellation, modification and refund policies, they vary according to the package and service providers, as additional fees may apply for changing travel dates or canceling the booking. Travel dates also vary between programs, as some flights for some offers depart on November 27 and 28 (before the Union Day holiday), while other programs start before that, and some flights extend beyond the Union Day holiday days. Therefore, the final prices depend on the departure and return dates and the services included before completing the booking.
The advertised prices are subject to the availability of seats and hotel rooms at the time of booking, and may change according to the travel date, hotel category and number of travellers. Some packages include round-trip airfare, accommodation, breakfast, transfers, insurance, as well as tours included in the program.